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International Human Rights Award

 

2012 International Human Rights Award

 

Call for Nominations: Deadline Is March 19, 2012
Nominations for the ABA Section of Litigation International Human Rights Award are now being accepted. The International Human Rights Award is intended to honor and give public recognition to an individual who has made a special contribution in the area of human rights in a foreign jurisdiction.


Nominees for the award must have made substantial and long-term contributions in the furtherance of civil rights, civil liberties, and/or human rights outside the United States. A “substantial” contribution shall be considered to be one demonstrating a level of dedication or achievement beyond that expected in the normal course of an individual’s work. Nominees must be lawyers or judges, but from any jurisdiction.


Selection Criteria
The Section seeks individuals who have advanced justice and human rights through the following means:


  1. sustained, exceptional, direct representation of and advocacy for persons whose human rights have been violated;
  2. creation or significant expansion of access to a legal system for persons whose human rights may be or have been violated; and/or
  3. direct representation in one or more cases that resulted in significant benefits to persons or groups whose human rights are or were on the verge of being violated.

 

The Section of Litigation International Human Rights Award was created in response to the knowledge that, in many countries with repressive regimes, the regime is less likely to take retaliatory action—or is likely to take less harsh action—against a human-rights advocate if the advocate has international connections and relationships. The Section stands behind those who have fought for basic human rights even when it may not be in their personal self-interest. A list of past Section honorees can be found here.


Completed nomination forms  and accompanying materials, including a “Statement of Reasons,” should be emailed to Sharyne Tu at Sharyne.Tu@americanbar.org by March 19, 2012.


The Section will present the award during the ABA Annual Meeting in August in Chicago, Illinois.